Gamecocks announce 2014 football schedule

Wednesday

Aug 21, 2013 at 12:01 AMAug 22, 2013 at 12:38 AM

USC opens the season with its first game against Texas A&M.

By MATT CONNOLLYmatthew.connolly@shj.com

South Carolina has released its 2014 football schedule, which will feature seven home games and five road contests.USC will play four teams in 2014 that are ranked in the top 10 entering the 2013 season.The Gamecocks will open by hosting Texas A&M on Thursday, Aug. 28. The matchup will mark the first time the two teams have played.USC's opener against the Aggies will also be the debut game for the new SEC Network.After its opener, the rest of Carolina's games will be on Saturdays.South Carolina will then face East Carolina at home, prior to hosting an SEC East showdown with rival Georgia.USC's first road game will be at Vanderbilt on Sept. 20 before Carolina returns home to face Missouri. South Carolina's second road game will be at Kentucky on Oct. 4.After facing the Wildcats, Carolina will have its first of two bye weeks.Following the bye, USC will host in-state foe Furman, then travel to the Plains to face Auburn.The Tigers have been a thorn in the side of the Gamecocks in recent years, handing USC three of its nine losses in the past three seasons.USC's final home SEC game will be Nov. 1 against Tennessee.After facing the Volunteers, South Carolina will travel to The Swamp to play Florida in its last conference game of the season.USC's final home contest will be against South Alabama on Nov. 22. The Gamecocks end the regular season the next week at rival Clemson.